


Something Different

by lighthouse_stilinski



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Fluff, Future Fic, Gen, M/M, Minor Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Steve Rogers Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-21
Updated: 2016-05-21
Packaged: 2018-06-09 20:59:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6923143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lighthouse_stilinski/pseuds/lighthouse_stilinski
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He stares at his reflection in the mirror, and a glimpse of the past echoes throughout the present. The face that he sees now, that’s the face of a man that he would be proud to be. Unfortunately, his appearance and his mind do not match up so well. </p><p>or</p><p>Bucky finally decides to cut his hair.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something Different

**Author's Note:**

> Another year has passed since Civil War, and Bucky is finally an Avenger. 
> 
> I wrote this in between sorting out some more serious fics, but writer's block is not my friend today. Pretty much just random fluff. Enjoy!

He stares at his reflection in the mirror, and a glimpse of the past echoes throughout the present. The face that he sees now, that’s the face of a man that he would be proud to be. Unfortunately, his appearance and his mind do not match up so well.

“Buck?” Steve calls. Bucky turns away from the mirror and exits the bathroom that connects to his room in the Avengers compound. He sees Steve standing by his doorway, already dressed for the day. Bucky looks at the clock and realizes that he’s still in pajama pants and a white T-shirt, despite the fact that Steve and Sam wanted to leave the compound five minutes earlier.

In all of the chaos of the past few years, Bucky never actually got the chance to explore the New York City of present day, so Steve thought it would be a great idea to take a day off and go sight-seeing. Sam had nothing going on, so he decided to join. Besides, Bucky thinks Sam is starting to grow on him, despite the endless wave of wise-ass remarks that Sam throws his way.

“Hey,” Bucky says, waving a hand at Steve and making his way to his dresser. Bucky pulls out a pair of jeans and a gray long sleeve shirt. “Sorry, I’ll be ready in like five minutes.”

Bucky tosses the clothes on his bed and searches through another drawer for socks, but he quickly realizes as the moments pass in his struggle to find two socks that match that Steve is being too quiet. He looks to where his best friend still stands in the doorway. Steve doesn’t move or make a sound, he simply stares at Bucky. A look of sentiment takes over the features on his face.

Bucky feels a grin tug at the corner of his mouth, unsure why Steve looks so dumbfounded. “Uh, are you alright?” He asks. Steve shakes his head, breaking him from his stupor.

“You just-- you just look different,” Steve says. “That’s all.” Bucky understands now. He had decided when he woke up that he had had enough of the long hair and scruff. The Bucky that grew up in Brooklyn, the Bucky that went to fight in the war, was clean-shaven and put together. Every time Bucky looked in the mirror, he only saw the Winter Soldier. He only saw a monster.

So, he borrowed Tony’s clippers and razor (without permission, which he’ll probably regret later), and went to work on bringing the old Bucky back. When he was done, the reflection of the former Howling Commando that he once was greeted him in the mirror.

“Yeah, I decided I needed a change,” Bucky says. He shuffles awkwardly, finally holding a pair of matching socks in one hand. “The long hair was too much to manage, anyway. I was shedding like a dog.” Steve laughs, which instantly puts a smile on Bucky’s face.

“Tell me about it,” Steve says. “At least you never put it in one of those weird ‘man buns’ that guys wear nowadays.”

“A man what?” Bucky asks. Steve laughs again.

“Don’t worry about it,” Steve says, waving a hand dismissively through the air. “You look great.” Bucky’s cheeks grow warm at the compliment.

“Thanks, Steve,” he says.

Steve smiles warmly. “Get ready, pal. I think Sam’s getting impatient.”

“Yeah? Well, tell him that I’m just gonna take even longer to get ready now,” Bucky says.

“I see that the old look has also come with the usual amounts of old sarcasm,” Steve says. “We’ll be downstairs. See you in a few.”

“Wait, Steve.” Bucky rushes toward the door and grabs Steve into a hug, which catches him off guard at first. Bucky isn’t the best at showing affection, but he decides that he needs to fix that.

“You alright?” Steve asks.

“Yeah, I’m good,” says Bucky as he lets go of Steve. “I’ll be down in a bit.” Steve nods and Bucky watches as his best friend disappears down the stairs.

He’s not sure why, but in the moment Bucky feels like everything is natural. Maybe it’s because he had been sporting a look that didn’t quite match up with his old personality for so long, but Bucky feels for the first time in a while like he’s normal. Despite the metal arm, it’s like he’s a regular guy.

Unfortunately, he knows the feeling will fade. He has too much clogging up his mind to actually be anywhere near normal, but he decides to accept the feeling of normality for the time being.

After getting dressed, Bucky makes his way down the stairs to the living room. Steve and Sam sit opposite each other as they argue about which Star Wars film is the best, and Bucky reminds himself that he still needs to watch those.

“Ready to go?” Steve asks, breaking up his conversation.

“Hey, looking slick, James,” Sam says. Bucky scrunches his eyebrows.

“Do not call me that,” he says. Sam laughs and stands, clapping a hand on Bucky’s shoulder. “It’s Bucky.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Sam says, rolling his eyes. “You got it, Bucky.”

Steve stands and looks his best friend up and down. “Does this look also come with the usual level of stupid?” Bucky throws an arm around Steve’s shoulder.

“Shut up,” he says through laughter. Bucky realizes that, even though he may not be where he wants to be psychologically just yet, he’s surrounded by people who are pretty good at speeding up the process.

He continues to let himself enjoy the moment.

 


End file.
